I Need a Retreat!
 

I'm not sure if this is the correct place to put this thread or not but here goes.

I am in serious need of a quilting retreat! Between now and Thanksgiving. I would like to keep it within 400 miles of south Mississippi.

Anyone know of anything in early November?

I need one also, but I'm in Minnesota.

I want one, too, but I'm in Maryland. How about everyone from "M" states get together to make this happen!

I don't know of a retreat, but Quilting by the Bay in Panama City is having a lot of classes coming up. They sent out one just the other day of someone coming in January for several days. It's not a retreat but you would be out of town. They may have something with a hotel close to their teaching center so it would feel like a retreat.

Call some of you quilting friends and take a road trip. You may just start a new retreat for you and some quilting friends.

I always like to be pro-active in my health and life.....so I definitely want to be aware of the signs that I am heading toward the "need a retreat" condition. I've never been to a retreat, so I don't know any of the symptoms the retreat will relieve. So, you "retreaters"..........what are some of the warning signs that I should start looking for? At the first sign of any of them, I want to be prepared to go ! ! ! ! !

So, fill in the blanks.............

You might need a retreat if you _______________________________________.

I think any quilter would need a retreat around this time of the year. Have you checked if Google has anything listed??

There are a couple of quilting guilds here in Ohio that do their own retreat-just have to be a member. Check some of the guilds in your areas and see if or when they might have them coming up. If it is something appealing join the guild if need to be a member and go. I think the ones I'm aware of here are usually held in Jan. or Feb.
Here is a link I found but the few I checked looked like it lists facilities and you arrange your own.
http://www.quiltingretreatfinder.com/

Sometimes shops offer in shop retreats-usually just a day but sometimes there will be one that is two days. If it isn't local and it fits your time needed maybe stay at a hotel on your own and spend the days at the shop retreat?

My DH & DD always go to the Mountain West Basketball Tournament in Las Vegas. We have a time-share in LV so I go and sew, tour the LQS and sew some more. This past March we ended up with an extra 2 bedroom unit (won't bore you with details) so I called my friend in Phoenix to join me. A two bedroom is actually 2 one bedroom condos connected by a common entry area, so she had one to herself and the other we used for sewing and left our machines & ironing boards up the entire time. For 4 days and 3 nights we quilted from 8 am to midnight. Stopping only for food and shopping. She had never visited the LQS of Vegas so we had a grand time. (She also showed me that Sam's Club sells Nathan Hotdogs for $1.50. Yum!)

I worked on my Christmas tree twister quilt and she worked on one until she decided to do some machine embroidery and then we used my GO to cut out a DWR quilt she plans to make for her daughter. It was probably one of the funnest times I have ever had.

So what I am suggesting is, if you have some quilting friends, create your own retreat. There are places like the Residence Inn and Extended Stay America that you can get suites. And just decide what you want to do and do it. I didn't bring too much to work on, because I was determined to get the twister quilt done. Carol had just bought her Brother 770 and wanted to do play with it and make cute outfits for her DGS.

This sounds wonderful!
The problem is that the local guild has already had their retreat for the year. My quilting buddies either can't afford one or are having health issues right now.
Anyone want to meet up with me?? I can't do Minnesota nor Maine. Maybe Missouri. :)
I saw the doings in Panama City. I have been to that quilt shop. It's great. I don't want to do classes. I just want to sew, eat, laugh & meet some new friends.

I wish I could! I am in Idaho :(. I would LOVE to go to MSQC!!!

Your retreat idea sounds wonderful. I am in Grants Pass, OR and want to go to a retreat that does not mean I have to go to Texas (my old quilting group is there :( ) I might just get a hotel room and have a retreat by myself.

Fl Retreat
 

"The Quilt Place in Rockledge Fl has a retreat center that sounds reasonable. Take a look at their website for details. www.quiltplace.com.

I clicked on your link but it's not correct or something. Florida wouldn't be too far for me.
Thanks to everyone for your suggestions. I appreciate them.

This one is wonderful! It is in North Texas...reasonably priced, great accommodations, gourmet food and a huge work room with two tables per person. Three walls with design boards...amazing and fun too!

http://sunsetretreat.com/

I actually found this one and considered it. But it's a little too far for me to go to.
It looks wonderful.

I'm not sure of the name of it now but there is one in WV, its only been open a few years but when I saw the pictures it was beautiful. It would be hard not to relax there.

Here are some great places that I have run across in my quest for a retreat:

http://rockinrretreats.com/
http://www.summitquiltretreat.com/index.html
http://www.redroosterretreat.com/
http://www.ivyjeans.com/quilt-retreats-etc.php
http://www.whistlestopquiltretreat.com/classes--retreats.htm
http://www.pinelilyretreat.com/
http://www.cabinquilter.com/quilterscabin/facilities.html

The problem I'm finding is room for me in the next few weeks. :(

It is hard to find good retreats..when we are in the mood for one. i look for shows, etc. on the internet, but am often a "day late and a dollar short"! LOL

I got a reply from the lady at The Red Rooster Retreat in Cullman Alabama. Looks like she's got room in 2 different retreats in November! Yippee!!
I'll let y'all know what I find out tomorrow. (anyone want to go?)

I hope it all works out well for you. and maybe you can get a bonus of making some new quilty friends, and introduce them to the QB :)

I hosted a quilt camp in September! In Florida (Missouri)! It was sooooo much fun! First time hosting ever and I made several new quilting friends for life from Illinois, Iowa and different areas of Missouri. Everybody does different but most of my Quilter's were first time campers. They were allowed to arrive at noon on Thursday and checkout was Sunday at noon. I had 5 friends/family who did the cooking/cleaning so my Quilter's were totally spoiled! The only complaint was too much food! No one needs a hot homemade breakfast, lunch and dinner - do they? Complete with dessert at mealtime and fresh hot baked cookies daily for snacking! The hot rolls for dinner and the cinnamon rolls also contributed the 3 to 4 #'s some gained. A lot was accomplished with sewing and instead of a game that was planned with the Christmas fat quarter - some of the quilters created a block for a little 4-year old that was recently diagnosed with leukemia and a friend of one of the Quilter's. I brought the blocks home and turned it into a minke backed quilt and mailed to IL. So warm for ugly treatments. Games with quilty prizes added to the fun! So, if you're into meeting new friends, needing a break from daily chores such as cooking and cleaning, sewing as much as you want on projects you need to finish or want to start while enjoying great company - that's what you should find at a quilt retreat or camp! Prices vary! I have 2 retreats booked in November - one in A city I've never been and one that I am returning for the 8th time and one booked for March in Branson which will be my 4th time. I don't think it's possible to have to many quilting friends so just a sample of what you're missing and why you need to find a retreat
........Quilter's are so awesome!

It's now official. I will be going to the Red Rooster Retreat next weekend. This one is a group of scrap bookers & looks like I will be the only quilter there. I do dabble in scrap booking so am hoping to pick up some tips from them while I'm there. This is going to be mainly for R&R for me. Yippee!

Check Bonnie Hunter's itinerary... she seems to teach at one or two retreats a week. Also, ask a quilting shop if they know of any retreats coming up. I'm in Mississippi too but I never hear about any retreats locally. Maybe if I belonged to a guild I would....

Congrats on finding a retreat! That place looks great. Have a wonderful time. I know Gulf States Quilt Association (GSQA) has a retreat during the year for next year. They are a big Guild covering coastal Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida Panhandle.

Thanks for all the suggestions.
I wish that all of us in the area could go to a retreat together. I'd like to meet others from this forum.

Looks like you've already found a retreat, but for future reference there is a retreat twice a year put on by a quilt shop called Stitchin Heaven in Mineola, Texas. The retreat is actually at the Brookhaven Retreat Center in Hawkins, Texas. They are held in April and November every year. Their next retreat starts on November 19th (however, most of the time it is held closer to the 10th). These are 4-day retreats (Thursday thru Sunday). The retreat center is on a beautiful lake with lots of cabins and two sewing buildings. My friends and I have gone to both retreats every year for the past three years and always have a great time. Price includes lodging and 3 meals served per day and it's only $295. Here's a link to their website:

https://stitchinheaven.com/quilt_retreat_hideout

Thanks Podunk Princess. Have you ever been to that retreat? I've got to look closer at it to see how far it is from me cause I know I'll want to go on another retreat next year.

Yes, I've just returned from my 5th retreat there. It's a good one! Their next retreat is scheduled for March 17, 18, 19, 20. I'm not sure how far it is from your location. Hawkins is a small town located about 15 miles north of Tyler, Texas.

It looks like Hawkins TX is 7 1/2 hours from me. I'd like to keep it within 5 hours, less than 6 for sure.
Thanks so much.

Miss Rita, are you going to the March retreat at Hawkins Texas in March? that is only 30 minutes from where we go in the spring where my husband fishes, I could so use a retreat,

Yes! I'm all registered and already planning what projects to take to work on. This will be the 6th time I've been there and I never get tired of the location or the fun times we have. Are you thinking about going? The Brookhaven Retreat Center is located in a lake community and it's only a few steps down to the lake from the sewing rooms. There's a walking path all around the lake for when we want to take a break and stretch our legs. You'd love it there.

I am headed back to the Red Rooster Retreat next week! It is in Alabama, just a bit north of Birmingham. This will be a quilting group instead of a scrapbooking bunch. They will be there from Wednesday at 3 till Sunday morning. I'm not sure if I'm staying that long or not.
Anyone want to come? :)

Have fun! I keep meaning to look up that place. Glad you found a good spot for a retreat.

Me too! (I've been trying to insert a smiley face but it just won't do it)